1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to games and more particularly to a puzzle solving game.
2. Background Art
Manipulative puzzles such as the well known RUBIK'S CUBE that had been commercially distributed by Ideal Corporation have been popular pastimes for children and adults alike. In the RUBIK'S CUBE puzzle, three by three grids of small cubes formed a large cube with different colors on each of the six faces of the large cube. Only certain predetermined faces of the small cubes were exposed and each exposed face of each small cube was a different one of the six colors. The center cube of each three by three grid face has a fixed relationship to the center cube on the opposite face and the three exposed faces of a corner cube always bore the same relationship to each other no matter what the rotational position of that corner cube. Other examples of prior art manipulative puzzles are found in Hansen, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,729 issued Feb. 15, 1983; Yokoi U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,510 issued Sept. 6, 1983; Wiggs, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,754 issued Nov. 19, 1985; Sherman, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,484 issued Dec. 10, 1985 and Rubik U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,680 issued Aug. 11, 1987. There remains a need, however, for a manipulative puzzle solving game that provides a variety of puzzles for the player to solve.